Thursday, April 30, 2015

Islamic State Offensives Subside In Iraq 4th Week of April 2015

The Islamic State’s offensives in Anbar and Salahaddin began
to trail off in the fourth week of April 2015. That was not before it was able
to seize another army base in northern Anbar. IS also continued with a high
rate of car bombings throughout the country. The government responded with
concerted efforts to retake lost ground in the Ramadi and Thar Thar areas of
Anbar, and the Baiji Refinery in Salahaddin. A sweep began through northern
Diyala’s Qara Tapa as well in response to insurgent attacks there. The result
was that casualties declined in Iraq from the previous two weeks.

There were 160 reported attacks in Iraq from April 22-28.
The real numbers were probably much higher. Baghdad led the way with 66
security incidents, followed by 39 in Anbar, 19 in Salahaddin, 16 in Diyala, 11
in Ninewa, five in Kirkuk, and four in Babil.

Attacks have been going down in the near year. In January
there were an average of 26.2 incidents per day. That went down to 23.3 in
February, 22.2 in March, and 20.8 so far in April.

There were a reported 483 dead and 483 wounded in the fourth
week of April. The former consisted of 2 peshmerga, 11 Hashd al-Shaabi, 231
members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and 239 civilians. The latter was 36
Hashd, 50 ISF, and 397 civilians. Those figures were down from the previous
weeks when there were 722 killed April 15-21, and 626 from April 8-14. Actual
casualties are higher than what gets into the media.

The fighting in Anbar led to 254 fatalities. After that
there were 108 in Baghdad, 39 in Kirkuk, 27 in Salahaddin, 26 in Diyala, 22 in
Ninewa, and seven in Babil.

Violence
In Iraq By Week 2015

Date

Incidents

Dead

Wounded

Jan 1-7

184

434

464

Jan 8-14

170

730

493

Jan 15-21

182

390

515

Jan 22-28

189

466

894

Jan 29-31

90

288

529

JAN

815

2,308

2,895

Feb 1-7

155

380

688

Feb 8-14

170

406

559

Feb 15-21

165

573

364

Feb 22-28

165

371

687
+ 386

FEB

655

1,730

2,683

Mar 1-7

172

372

587

Mar 8-14

133

348

656

Mar 15-21

142

1,299

503

Mar 22-28

170

235

406

Mar 29-31

72

205

219

MAR

689

2,459 + 4

2,371 + 150

Apr 1-7

121

212

422

Apr 8-14

133

626

525

Apr 15-21

169

722

714

Apr 22-28

160

483

483

Violence
In Iraq By Province Apr 2015

Province

Apr
1-7

Apr
8-14

Anbar

22 Incidents

60 Killed: 4 ISF, 56 Civilians

72 Wounded: 72 Civilians

13 Shootings

2 IEDs

4 Mortars

1 Rocket

33 Incidents

411 Killed: 66 ISF, 3 Sahwa, 343
Civilians

128 Wounded: 9 ISF, 31 Sahwa, 88
Civilians

21 Shootings

2 IEDs

4 Suicide Bombers

7 Suicide Car Bombs

1 Car Bomb

5 Mortars

1 Rockets

Babil

3 Incidents

4 Killed: 1 ISF, 3 Civilians

11 Wounded: 4 ISF, 7 Civilians

2 IEDs

1 Sticky Bomb

4 Incidents

7 Killed: 7 Civilians

16 Wounded: 16 Civilians

1 Shooting

3 IEDs

1 Car Bomb

Baghdad

44 Incidents

63 Killed: 7 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 55
Civilians

196 Wounded: 13 ISF, 183 Civilians

8 Shootings

25 IEDs

4 Sticky Bombs

2 Car Bombs

1 Mortar

1 Rocket

1 Grenade

36 Incidents

90
Killed: 1 Sahwa, 7 Hashd, 82 Civilians

299 Wounded: 1 ISF, 5 Sahwa, 16
Hashd, 277 Civilians

5 Shootings

17 IEDs

4 Sticky Bombs

1 Suicide Bomber

1 Suicide Car Bomb

8 Car Bombs

1 Mortar

Basra

1 Incident

1 Killed: 1 ISF

1 Shooting

-

Diyala

10 Incidents

23 Killed: 10 ISF, 1 Hashd, 12
Civilians

92 Wounded: 12 ISF, 69 Hashd, 11
Civilians

7 Shootings

1 IED

1 Car Bomb

8 Incidents

6 Killed: 2 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 3
Civilians

18 Wounded: 7 ISF, 4 Sahwa, 7
Civilians

3 Shootings

5 IEDs

Kirkuk

4 Incidents

1 Killed: 1 Hashd

2 Shootings

1 IED

3 Incidents

7 Killed: 7 Civilians

6 Wounded: 3 Hashd, 3 Civilians

1 Shooting

1 IED

1 Mortar

Maysan

-

1 Incident

1 Killed: 1 Civilian

Ninewa

7 Incidents

12 Killed: 2 YPG, 4 Hashd, 6
Civilians

2 Wounded: 2 Peshmerga

5 Shootings

17 Incidents

34 Killed: 34 Civilians

8 Wounded: 4 Peshmerga, 4
Civilians

13 Shootings

3 IEDs

Salahaddin

30 Incidents

48 Killed: 26 ISF, 3 Sahwa, 14
Hashd, 5 Civilians

50 Wounded: 25 ISF, 14 Hashd, 11
Civilians

22 Shootings

3 IEDs

2 Suicide Bombers

2 Mortars

1 Grenade

30 Incidents

70 Killed: 34 ISF, 4 Sahwa, 11
Hashd, 21 Civilians

50 Wounded: 11 ISF, 2 Sahwa, 24
Hashd, 13 Civilians

21 Shootings

5 IEDs

5 Suicide Bombers

4 Suicide Car Bombs

2 Car Bombs

2 Mortars

Province

Apr
15-21

Apr
22-28

Anbar

38 Incidents

123 Killed: 37 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 85
Civilians

221 Wounded: 106 ISF, 1 Hashd, 114
Civilians

27 Shootings

3 IEDs

4 Suicide Car Bombs

5 Car Bombs

4 Mortars

39 Incidents

254 Killed: 216 ISF, 38 Civilians

95 Wounded: 33 ISF, 62 Civilians

24 Shootings

2 IEDs

10 Suicide Car Bombs

1 Car Bomb

2 Mortars

Babil

4 Incidents

5 Killed: 4 ISF, 1 Civilian

17 Wounded: 6 ISF, 11 Civilians

4 IEDs

4 Incidents

7 Killed: 7 Civilians

26 Wounded: 3 ISF, 23 Civilians

2 IEDs

1 Car Bomb

1 Mortar

Baghdad

50 Incidents

97 Killed: 7 ISF, 4 Sahwa, 86
Civilians

261 Wounded: 17 ISF, 5 Sahwa, 239
Civilians

7 Shootings

35 IEDs

5 Sticky Bombs

2 Car Bombs

1 Mortar

66 Incidents

108 Killed: 3 ISF, 105 Civilians

264 Wounded: 7 ISF, 257 Civilians

15 Shootings

29 IEDs

11 Sticky Bombs

6 Car Bombs

1 Rockets

Basra

1 Incident

-

Diyala

22 Incidents

25 Killed: 5 ISF, 1 Sahwa, 2
Hashd, 17 Civilians

22 Wounded: 6 ISF, 3 Sahwa, 5
Hashd, 8 Civilians

11 Shootings

6 IEDs

2 Rockets

16 Incidents

26 Killed: 1 ISF, 25 Civilians

15 Wounded: 5 ISF, 10 Civilians

7 Shootings

4 IEDs

1 Sticky Bomb

1 Car Bomb

1 Mortar

Irbil

1 Incident

5 Killed: 5 Civilians

17 Wounded: 2 Peshmerga, 15
Civilians

1 Car Bomb

-

Kirkuk

11 Incidents

55 Killed: 2 ISF, 4 Hashd, 18
Peshmerga, 31 Civilians

131 Wounded: 8 ISF, 39 Peshmerga,
58 Hashd, 26 Civilians

6 Shootings

2 IEDs

1 Suicide Bomber

1 Suicide Car Bomb

1 Mortar

1 Rockets

5 Incidents

39 Killed: 5 Hashd, 34 Civilians

33 Wounded: 33 Hashd

5 Shootings

Ninewa

13 Incidents

26 Killed: 4 ISF, 18 Peshmerga, 4
Civilians

9 Shootings

3 IEDs

11 Incidents

22 Killed: 5 ISF, 2 Peshmerga, 15
Civilians

15 Wounded: 15 Civilians

7 Shootings

1 IED

1 Artillery

Salahaddin

29 Incidents

386 Killed: 27 ISF, 3 Sahwa, 35
Hashd, 321 Civilians

45 Wounded: 28 ISF, 8 Hashd, 9
Civilians

23 Shootings

4 IEDs

1 Car Bomb

1 Mortar

19 Incidents

27 Killed: 6 ISF, 6 Hashd, 15
Civilians

35 Wounded: 2 ISF, 3 Hashd, 30
Civilians

13 Shootings

3 IEDs

1 Suicide Car Bomb

1 Mortar

Car
Bombs in Iraq Apr 2015

Date

Location

Dead

Wounded

Apr 1

Apr 2

Bab
al-Mudham, Baghdad

7

26

Apr 3

Apr 4

Mansour,
Baghdad

Apr 5

Apr 6

Imam
Abdullah bin Imam Ali al-Hadi shrine, Diyala

4

7

Apr 7

Total

3

11

33

Apr 8

Apr 9

Apr 10

Albu
Faraj x5, Ramadi x2, Anbar

Karrada,
Baghdad

5

13

Apr 11

Baiji
Refinery x3, Salahaddin

Apr 12

Amiriya
Fallujah, Anbar

Baiji
Refinery x2, Salahaddin

Apr 13

Amil
& Baya, Baghdad

15

60

Apr 14

Mahmudiya,
Babil

East,
Mashtal, Waziriya, Wihda x2, Yarmouk, Baghdad

Baiji
Refinery, Salahaddin

46

97

Total

24

66

170

Apr 15

Shjariya
& Sufiya x4, Anbar

1

Apr 16

Apr 17

Baghdadi,
Anbar

Amil
& Habibiya, Baghdad

Irbil,
Irbil

41

73

Apr 18

Baghdadi
x3, Anbar

Bashir,
Salahaddin

2

7

Apr 19

Apr 20

West
of Baiji, Salahaddin

2

4

Apr 21

Total

14

46

84

Apr 22

West
of Albu Hayat, Anbar

Talibiya,
Baghdad

Ishaqi,
Salahaddin

16

36

Apr 23

Thar
Thar x3, Anbar

Apr 24

Thar
Thar & Trebil x4, Anbar

21

20

Apr 25

Sakarah,
Anbar

Apr 26

Nukhaib,
Anbar

Mahmudiya,
Babil

Amil
& Khilani Sq, Baghdad

22

58

Apr 27

Amil,
Baya, Mansour, Baghdad

Qazanya,
Diyala

19

50

Apr 28

Total

21

78

164

IS maintained its high level of vehicle borne improvised
explosive devices (VBIEDs). From April 22-28 there were 21 such attacks leading
to 78 dead and 164 wounded. Far more were destroyed before reaching their
targets. There were 11 in Anbar during the week. Four were used in assaults in
Thar Thar, four on the Trebil border crossing, and one against an army convoy
outside of Albu Hayat, one against an army base in Nukhaib, and another one
killed the commander of the army’s 1st Division in Anbar. The other
ten were all against civilians in Babil, Baghdad, Diyala and Salahaddin. In
previous months IS had moved away from hitting Baghdad, but that has returned
as a prime target with six during the week.

For the last two weeks there has been intense fighting in
Anbar. IS continued its push in the province seizing
another army base in Thar Thar north of Fallujah. That was the third that
fell in the area in the last month. This followed IS’s surge
in the Ramadi area when it took several of the surrounding villages and
made another attempt at taking the entire city the week before. From April
22-28 IS carried out attacks in Ramadi,
Albu
Jassim, Jazeera, Shurta, Shjariya,
Baghdadi,
and a border
crossing with Saudi Arabia. The government forces responded by trying to
retake Sufiya,
Albu
Soda, Albu Khanafar, Albu Salman, Albu Dhiab, Thar
Thar, and sections of Ramadi.
It also finally began its push to take back Garma to
the east of Fallujah after having surrounded the city for several weeks. Still
the militant’s attacks seemed to seize the initiative in the governorate and
disrupted Baghdad’s plans for a major push in the area. It also led to a heated
debate over
whether the Hashd forces would be allowed into Anbar in large numbers. There
are already Hashd units in the province in Garma
for example, but there is no consensus about their presence amongst Anbaris.

There was a decided uptick in attacks in Baghdad. There were
66 reported incidents during the week the most since July 15-21. In the last
two days of the week there were 19 and 15 attacks respectively when before the
province only had around 5-7 per day. There were six car bombs from April
22-28, but IEDs, 29 for the week, were the main drivers of violence. Despite
the increase the number of casualties remained largely the same with 97 dead
the week before and 108 last week and 261 wounded April 15-21 compared to 264
April 22-28. Despite all the fighting in places like Anbar and Salahaddin,
Baghdad has continued to be the most dangerous part of the country routinely
having the most attacks.

In Diyala, insurgent activity remained at the same steady
level. There was a car bomb in Qazanya in the Baladrooz area on April
27. On April
22 and 23
two mass graves were discovered in Sadiya and Akbai respectively with 11 and 8
bodies each. A U.N. official was also kidnapped in Baquba on April
26. The Diyala security committee has been warning
of IS sleeper cells in the province. That led to a security sweep through Qara
Tapa in the north starting on April
26. Like many other provinces the government lacks the manpower to hold
many areas in Diyala after they are cleared.

IS continued to fight for the Baiji Refinery in Salahaddin.
The Islamic State attacked the facility the same time it began its assault in
Ramadi. Like Anbar this up ended government plants to secure the area. Fighting
was on going at the refinery and the neighboring villages during the week.

SOURCES

AIN,
"A security source: the martyrdom and wounding of 18 people including a
local official in the attack on Trebil," 4/25/15

-
"Tank explosion on an army convoy without injuries west of Ramadi,"
4/22/15

- "Urgent
martyrdom and wounding 13 visitors in a suicide attack south of Samarra,"
4/22/15

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About Me

Musings On Iraq was started in 2008 to explain the politics, economics, security, culture and history of Iraq via original articles and interviews. If you wish to contact me personally my email is: motown67@aol.com